Blogerry

hey guys. for my first car i want an rx7. but lately i have been reading online about how rotary engines are very fragile and wont last long unless taken care of properly. I just wanted you guys to confirm and also tell me about any other problems i might have as an rx7 owner. thanks!

clokker

iTrader: (2)

No engine will last long if maltreated or poorly maintained.

In general, NAs are more forgiving than turbos...probably due to a combination of less stress and less hooning.

1SWEET7

iTrader: (1)

I would say wait a while for the 7. Read as much as you can and learn about the quirks before getting in waist deep. That way when you do get one it will be much easier to understand and to fix it yourself. RX7's can be very reliable, I daily drive mine 80+ miles.

jjwalker

RX-7's are reliable, especially the non-turbo. The reason everyone says that they are unreliable is because of their design. In a rotary, you have less rotating assembly, which removes LOTS of possible failure points. The problem comes in when something in a rotaries rotating assembly does break. Most if not all rotating assembly parts on a rotary are in side of the keg, so when something fails it will need a complete rebuild.

RX-7 typically have some strange electrical querks that can be a hassle, but generally solutions for these can be found quite easily if you search. The electrical gremlins are typical for most late 80's early 90's japanese cars though.

daviddeep

iTrader: (4)

Honestly, the biggest issue I'd have with an RX-7 as a first car is that it is 20+ years old. For a 20+ year old car, they're actually very reliable. I drive mine 3-4 times a week. In the 2+ years I've had this one, it has yet to break down. However, since it is old, I replace things before it has a chance to wear out or break, which requires time and can get expensive. Mine is more of a hobby than a daily driver since I have a newer car for that. Also, gas mileage is sort of SUV-ish. If you drive very carefully it might verge on the respectable, but if you have a heavy foot, it is thirsty.

I did daily drive an NA FC from 1995-2002 and it was generally quite reliable. My original engine did blow an apex seal at 89,000 miles. Back when they were new, I knew of quite a few S5s that suffered from premature engine failures like this despite careful maintenance, but by now, I think most of those cars have been weeded out.

texFCturboII

iTrader: (17)

Its fun, quick and the engine is very reliable if you get it working right. The rest of the car however...... lets just put it this way: My passenger mirror fell out of its housing on the highway one day. So i replaced the whole assembly off a junkyard 7, only to have the mirror fall out again, 3 days later. Sunroof doesnt work, pass. window doesnt work... but these are all things that can be fixed...

These cars are great, and you will be sucked into them in no time. Get a N/A first so you can learn how to work on these things and learn their quirks; and dont kill yourself in a turbo for your first car.

2slow4stock

iTrader: (18)

As long as you take care of it, I don't see the problem.

daviddeep

iTrader: (4)

There are some simple quirks to learn, for example, the rotary is designed to burn oil. If you're coming from having owned a Honda that uses no oil ever and you aren't in the habit of checking your oil regularly, this could cause a problem. I check mine with every fill-up.

Also many rotaries don't fare well if you start them then shut them off before they've had a chance to heat up to operating temperature. This can result in flooding, another rotary quirk that tends to turn off many who are unfamiliar with the cars.

arghx

iTrader: (3)

I never have "rotary engine" problems, and my ****'s turbo. I have 22-year-old modified sports car problems.

you'd be surprised how much these engines will tolerate low oil. I met a guy at the parts counter at the local dealership. He had like 220k on the original engine of his 91 nonturbo. I asked him what his secret was. He said "I put oil in it when the low oil light comes on."

Once I was changing my oil and I managed to pinch the plastic boost gauge hoose between the oil filter and the pedestal. Almost all the oil leaked out and I drove it up the block to the gas station. Turns out I had half a quart left. When I tore the motor down later on there was no noticeable wear on any of the bearings from this.

Supernaut

iTrader: (83)

N/A cars are supposed to be more reliable than piston ones. I remember reading the test cosmo car racking up TONS of miles on it without a problem.

Shield

iTrader: (2)

If you want a reliable older car, go with a Toyota or a Honda. I've owned 3 Rx-7's and the first two overheated (O-ring problems). The first car was only 7 years old and the other one was 9 years old.
But it's fun to drive and looks pretty cool. Just don't get behind the wheel and go somewhere without a cell phone. Don't let little quirky things bug you, like A/C not being super cold or working, sunroof opening, cracks in the center console surround and/or vents, power windows not working, horn not working or sporadically working, wipers not working in "II" mode, noisy shifter bushings, broken power antennas, etc.

DO: Like others have said, check your oil often. And keep your eye on the temp gauge. Don't let it overheat, and if you see the "Add coolant" light come on make sure you quit driving it until you can figure out why. These cars run hotter than their piston counterparts, and aren't that great on gas. Hell I get better gas mileage in a far faster stock V8 Lexus LS430 on the freeway.


Other than that, they're fun cars!

arghx

iTrader: (3)

in stock form, not really, not in terms of water temps. but like any old car the cooling system will have its failures, like busted hoses or clogged radiatior.

kustomizingkid

iTrader: (2)

If you are going to buy one just have enough money in the bank to get the engine rebuilt if it fails...

eage8

iTrader: (9)

I have both an 89 corolla and an 89 RX-7.... a few months ago my corolla ate a valve . my rx-7s engine is still fine. but that's not to say I haven't had oodles of problems with it. but it's mostly because it is an old sports car and I drive it like one. it also has 60% more hp than stock...

if you get a nice non-turbo in good condition with decently low miles on the engine it'll be more than fine.

TheProfessional

get n/a and even with that you need to give a lot TLC and elbow grease. Theres a lot of TII 7s out there but don't be fooled they'll run your pockets dry. Unless your balling out of control go for it.

pfsantos

iTrader: (1)

+1 on these cars being reliable, when you compare them to a piston engined car with the same age and care. Having said that, in terms of engine longevity, you're not going to get the same miles/km's as a piston engine from a good make, everything else being equal. I love rotary's, but gotta be honest here.

RTY PWR

iTrader: (4)

mines had its share of problems like running hot, or the horn going crazy, and so on as mentioned ^. but, despite all the problems and annoyances its given me, i wouldnt give it up for anything.

Chris Boots

Get one that has been proved to be taken care of and you should be good. a good norm is the NA's (if taken care of) last maybe 150K miles before they result in harder starts and lower compression. Find one taken care of. But as a first car you're not gunna like the mpg and you may develop rotary fever which results in daily visits to the red-line and an occasional burn of the tires. Be careful with it cause even though it does rev that high has that much power, it is extra stress on the car and any vehicle doesn't like that. So make sure ya know exactly what you'd be getting into.

With that being said, good luck on your RX7 search

clokker

iTrader: (2)

I think the only safe advice to the OP would be that he's buying an older used car and therefore should be prepared for anything.

Very few here have a large enough data set to speculate about "norms"...myself included.
My car- purchased three years ago on a whim with absolutely no clue about rotaries- has had low compression (80 psi) and low oil pressure ( @50-55 psi) since the day I bought it. 40k miles later (190k on the clock), she has never flooded or failed to start, gets decent mileage (17-18/25-27) and is my daily driver.

Prior to becoming a Japanese sports car fan (before the 7 was a 1971 240Z) all my cars were British sports cars- 22 of 'em.
In all that time I never once had an electrical failure so, as much as I enjoy a good Lucas joke, I never personally experienced a Lucas related problem.
Does that mean they don't exist?
Hardly, but it does point up the problem when dealing with "norms".

Looking backward into the hazy past, it seems to me that everybody's first car- no matter the type or brand- is somewhat traumatic.
You lack experience and know-how, so every problem can be a life changer.

Just ask my neighbor's 17 year old daughter who's first car- a 2004 Civic- has been a neverending nightmare.
She'll go through life thinking that's the "norm" for Hondas...she thinks my car is a paragon of reliability.
So, go figure.

pfsantos

iTrader: (1)

Man law!















(jk)

tandolla

iTrader: (1)

i have been D/D my n/a for alittle over a year now. not a single problem besides my alt going out. it even sat for 5 years before i got it free from the guy... depends on the maintenance of the engine and proper tune ups, and all the normal jazz.. oh and i even do quit a bit of drifting in the n/a and still no problems ..

arghx

iTrader: (3)

The only problem I ever had on my old nonturbo that wasn't my fault (due to abuse or mistakes) was the alternator and the starter going out, about a year apart from each other. But that happens on every car.

now I had other worn stuff like beat up shocks and such but the car was pretty old.

Blogerry

thanks a bunch guys. i think i have decided what to do. I will either keep my eye open for an rx7 with low miles and then save up for an aftermarket radiator or something, take good care of it or get a mazda protege/protege5 or mazda mx6. what do you guys think. Im wanting to get a mazda so ya. thanks!!!

BonesZ33

iTrader: (5)

if you want a reliable car buy a honda.. the rx7 is better suited as a weekend/sports car

Ticonderoga

iTrader: (2)

If you are still going for an FC, find one that has a valid registration, or one that the owner is willing to pass smog first. A lot of FC do not pass smog, and you certainly do not want your first car to be non-street legal.